


Can't Promise You Fair Sky Above

by codenametargeter



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Post-Trespasser, please just let them rest, the good ending but also angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:28:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22810228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/codenametargeter/pseuds/codenametargeter
Summary: They've survived Corypheus and now they've survived the Exalted Council and all that came with it. Dorian just wishes that what comes next was easier.
Relationships: Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56





	Can't Promise You Fair Sky Above

"There was a moment," Dorian says.

"Yeah," the Iron Bull says, not waiting for him to finish his half sentence. He doesn't need to. "Yeah."

Dorian takes in a deep breath and holds it for a moment before letting it out again. "I'll have you know I'm not proud of it. After so long, I should... I shouldn't have..."

"Kadan." The word stills him much like a hand on his shoulder might have. Bull stays quiet until Dorian looks at him again. "It's not something you need to be sorry for.” He laughs although it sounds more like a loud exhale than anything else. “Hell, there was a moment where  _ I _ wasn’t sure what I was going to tell her.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better about any of this?”

“Maybe.”

He considers words for a moment but instead lets out a disgusted sound that would’ve made the new Divine proud. “This would be easier if you were mad or at least irritated by it!”

The Iron Bull shrugs and bends down to start working on his knee brace. “Too tired to be mad. It’s been a long couple of days.” 

“Yes. I suppose it has.” Dorian drops into a lush armchair with what passes as graceless for him. He stares out the window because that’s easier than looking at Bull right now even with his freely given forgiveness. “Poor Danae…” At least they had both come out of the last week relatively physically unscathed minus the usual assortment of minor injuries that come from being in the field. The Inquisitor could not say the same. She hadn’t spoken about what had happened when she’d gone through that final mirror except to say Solas had been there and, well, the lack of a left arm had spoken for itself. “To save the world and have it end like this…”

“Fight’s not done yet. Or did you miss her big speech to the Exalted Council?”

“Ah. Yes.” And now here they are at an awkward topic of conversation again. Perhaps awkward isn’t the right word. He knows the one in Tevene but there isn’t a proper translation in Trade. It describes the intersection between inevitable and yet wanting to avoid it at all costs which is precisely where he finds himself now. “We should talk, amatus.”

The Bull sighs and straightens up so he’s looking him in the eye. “Was wondering when we were going to get around to this.”

Dorian arches an eyebrow. “Around to what?”

“You’re going back to Tevinter.”

He blinks, somewhat taken back. “I… well, yes. You knew that though.” The Bull doesn’t say anything; just waits. A part of him hates it when he does this but the rest of him knows it’s pointless to. Bull can no more turn off his Ben-Hassrath instincts than he can give up his magic. “It is the right thing to do. Or so I hope. I think I can do some good there. Perhaps even bring about some desperately needed change. Especially now that my…” Dorian trails off, not needing to finish this particular sentence either. He doesn’t exactly want to. “I have obligations.”

“You know no one would fault you if you stayed.”

“If I stayed?” Dorian arches an eyebrow. Bull nods. “If I stayed where? Here in Orlais? With the Inquisition? With you?”

“If you stayed,” Bull says, clearly meaning to offer no further clarification.

Deep down, he knows what the Iron Bull is doing. They’ve been together for years now. They know each other almost as well as they know themselves. Sometimes, things go unsaid between them because they’re already understood but sometimes, he just wants Bull to fucking say that he wants him and not just when they’re in bed. He wants Bull to ask him to stay with him and he wants Bull to say that he needs him. 

But he won’t. And Dorian won’t ask. It’s just not who they are. 

“Hey.” 

It’s only at the sound of Bull’s voice that Dorian even realizes he’s looked away. “What?” Even to his own ears, his voice sounds snippy.

“C’mere. Please.”

With as much visible reluctance as he can manage, Dorian pushes himself to his feet and saunters towards Bull only for the qunari to grab his waist and pull him close as soon as he’s within reach. He’s actually a few inches taller like this with Bull sitting. It would be so easy to press their lips together and things progress from there but he doesn’t. It’s not what either of them need right now. 

Bull’s voice is a quiet rumble. “You always have a place with me and the Chargers whether it’s now or in a year or in twenty years.”

“Is this your way of asking me to stay?” It’s as close as Dorian can come to asking.

“Would you?”

They both already know the answer. Bull pulls him closer, knuckles tracing a line up and down his spine and Dorian melts into the touch, finally letting himself take the other man’s face between his hands and kiss him first gently and then deeply like the fate of the world depends on it. “Bull,” he whispers.

“Kadan,” he whispers back and then they’re kissing again because it’s the only thing that feels right anymore. It’s the only thing that makes sense right now. Dorian lets Bull pull him into his lap, grateful for the contact. It also makes it harder to look away when Bull speaks again, tone light. “Guess we’re gonna have to get real good at reunion sex.”

“It’ll be different than before,” Dorian says, his voice borderline hoarse. “It won’t be easy. I can’t expect you to--”

The Iron Bull frowns. “Thought we were past that shit.”

Most of the time, Dorian is good with his words. This is clearly not most of the time. “That’s not how I meant it.”

He doesn’t loosen his grip on Dorian which is a good sign even if he sighs. “Do you still want what we have?”

He doesn’t even have to think about the answer. “Yes.” 

“Do you trust me?”

The weight of the start of their conversation hangs over them so heavily he almost wants to buckle under it. His mouth feels dry so Dorian swallows before saying, “I do.”

“Then trust that we will make this work,” Bull says. “Doesn’t matter if you’re here or in Skyhold or in Tevinter. You’re still my kadan.”

When he says it like that, it means more than a simple  _ I love you _ ever could. Right now, it feels like both an affirmation and absolution. It feels like faith in a world where nothing makes sense anymore. It feels like surety when little else feels certain. And when Dorian whispers back, “Amatus,” it means all of those things too. 

Tomorrow, they will talk more about this and Dorian will tell the Bull about what change he thinks he might be able to help bring about in Tevinter as a member of the Magisterium. The Iron Bull will tell him how he and the Chargers will remain with the Inquisition. Dorian will give him a sending crystal and they will make plans for a place they can one day call their own.

But that is tomorrow.

Tonight, they are simply alive and together. And it is enough. 


End file.
